From Fish Markets to Fractional Sales: The Steve Tolen Story

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Zach Young, we sit down with Steve Tolen, the energetic founder of Stolen+Co, who brings over 20 years of sales leadership to his role as a fractional sales and growth partner for recruitment businesses. Steve shares his unconventional journey from a decade of selling fish in a UK market to a high-flying recruitment career that took him to Australia, emphasizing his "lead from the front" philosophy and his passion for betting on himself as an entrepreneur.Steve dives deep into his modern sales framework, "5 Before the Call," which is designed to help recruitment founders and leaders cut through the noise. He champions the power of building a genuine personal brand on LinkedIn, utilizing authentic video, and harnessing smart technology without losing the essential human connection. The conversation is a masterclass in evolving from outdated, transactional sales tactics to a trust-based approach that focuses on consistent engagement, patience, and building rapport long before the first sales call is ever made.